No film festival is complete without an award ceremony,

Just like last year, this event is to celebrate everyday cyclists and their bikes. We’re rolling out the red carpet, and will  be awarding prizes to the folks (and their bikes) who stand out in the following categories.

• Sexiest Commuter Bike
• Biggest Load Carrying Capacity
• Most People on a Bicycle
• Fastest Puncture repair
• Best Dressed (+ least lycra) on a bicycle

Gear from Knog and Crumpler is amongst some of the prizes up for grabs. But if you’re not entering, this will be great day for spectators too. We’re firing up the BBQ and putting on drinks, and afterwards rolling down to the Bicycle Film Festival screening in the city.

It’s bound to be a a lot of fun, we hope to see you on the day.

Details:

• 3-6pm Saturday 28th November 2009
• @ the Commuter Cycles  workshop, 14 Prentice Street Brunswick.
• Registration for Award Categories - just turn up!
• BBQ  (Vegetarian and Meats), Drinks – Gold coin donation in our Movember jar
• We’ll be leaving the Workshop for Saturday Night’s BFF Screening - Program Here

More information on the 2009 Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival -here

Download our 2009 Treadlys poster for your fridge - here

An important day in the commuter cyclist’s calendar, it’s a fantastic opportunity to encourage others to give cycling a go. For those of us already bitten by the bug, it’s a day to pat ourselves on the back and remind the bean counters that cycling is a valid form of public transport.

With some help from Moreland City Council we’re offering commuters a free tune-up, breakfast and REAL coffee.

All we ask for is that you register – this way the statistics are in that people are actually riding on the day.

So bring your bike and empty belly, and we’ll provide the fuel and chain lube to get you going for the day….

The details:

• Wednesday 14th October 2009 – From 7:30am 10am
• Hot and cold breakfast provided – Coffee too!
• @ 14 Prentice street Brunswick -The Commuter Cycles Workshop
• Register here

Dynamos use the turning of your wheels to generate electricity, which can be then used to power your lights (or mobile phone, if you wish to get ambitious). Using the same system employed in windfarms, the dynamos now available have very little rolling resistance compared to those of yesteryear.

We stock both the excellent value Shimano hubs (the new 3N80 is brilliant), and the top shelf Schmidts (the SON 20R is THE dynamo hub). All will give you many years service, and mean less acid batteries end up in landfill.

The virtues of these dynamos are too numerous to mention, so drop in for a chat on how you can go battery free.

for more  information on these Dynamos

Shimano Nexus

Schmidt Dynohub

• Schmidt’s Webpage (mostly in German – not a lot of info)
• Peter White -The world’s #1 Schmidt advocate

One more thing – Because these dynamos are part of the hub, this nifty device will require you to replace your whole front wheel. A complete wheelbuild will cost around $300 with the Shimano hub dynamo.

Unlike a lot of cheaper L.E.D. lights available, these aren’t just to give you visibility on the road, they’ll illuminate the road ahead of you. Perfect for late night rides down the Merri Creek bike path.

Once you’ve seen these in action you won’t be able to go back.

Headlights currently in stock:

Plenty of information and images are available at the

Busch and Müller website

You may have read about it in recent press,  RMIT is running a pilot for Bicycle sharing, in the hope it will encourage more folks to consider getting around by bicycle, and to use the service for short trips around the city. 

The various bike hubs allow people to pick up a bike and helmet, and drop them off on the other side of town. Sure beats a taxi, or relying on Melbourne’s PT network. 

Fingers crossed, the success of this program will encourage the bean counters to take this on as part of Melbourne’s long term infrastructure. 

For more information on the project, pop in to the hub (Our Workshop) or check out the common bike website. After a $5 registration, each ride under three hours only costs a gold coin. If you drop the bike off to a different hub, or stay out for an additional hour, another gold coin covers costs. 

For more information, registration, bikes- drop into the hub at Commuter Cycles or read up on all the details at 

commonbike.com

Gloves

It’s easy to overlook your hands when rigging up for a frosty morning’s ride. Considering you need your fingers to control your brakes, it’s best to keep them warm and working. We’ve now got an excellent range of gloves -10 different styles, and in a range of sizes – for you to try on and take home.

The added bonus is that we’ve put the TUFF brand front and centre. An Australian Company, TUFF (by name AND nature) have been designing and selling gloves and cycling socks since 1990.

So if you’ve got frosty phalanges, pop in and have a look.

Prices range from $30 to $45.

More about TUFF, over on their website

Jackets.

We’re always banging on about bicycle safety, so we should give a plug for some of the high visibility jackets and jerseys we’ve got in store. Netti, an Australian company have been producing bicycling clothing and helmets for over 60 years, make up our current range.

On our rack, and in various sizes we have a selection of tops suitable for a variety of conditions. All with night riding in mind, they’re perfect as the days shorten in ‘Old Melbourne Town’. All garments have long torso size, and over-length arms, perfect for the reach to your handle bars.

Netti Sunshield

A lightweight Jersey that can be worn on it’s own or snugly over your daily garb, is made from breathable micromesh fabric. It has a Sun Protection Factor of 50 plus, so is ideal all year round.

Deep rear pockets are perfect for your phone and wallet, and a 30cm chest zipper, means added value for this simple and elegant jersey.

More information at the Netti Site

Sunshield: S-XL – $60

Netti Shift Jacket

The Netti shift jacket is the sort of thing you’d like to have in your pannier for those unexpected moments: you’re caught out after dark, Melbourne’s weather lives up to it’s reputation or you need a second jacket. Showerproof, windproof, and underarm ventilation, it’s quite roomy and is ideal as a shell.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti Shift Jacket – S -XL – $60

D3 Jacket

If Tenzing Norgay were riding round Brunswick, in the cold and wet, we reckon this would be the jacket he’d wear. This jacket with it’s heat sealed seams and front zipper guard, has all the marks of quality and is built for all conditions. The Netti D3 jacket with its breathable and waterproof fabric, is ideal for those who don’t use rain as an excuse not to ride to work. It even has a hood (that is detachable) for those really heavy downpours.

Double Plusses:

• Detachable arms – this jacket doubles as a high visibility vest.
• Elastic waist and cuffs
• Front and rear reflective strips
• Rear pocket for your phone, wallet, scroggin.

This jacket has just about everything built in, and only weighs 370 grams, so would be ideal for touring cyclists too. This is about as heavy duty as they come, so if the weather’s too heavy for this jacket, you probably shouldn’t be riding.

More information at the Netti Site

Netti D3 Jacket S -XL $230

The entire basil range can be found online at the Gazelle website, or read on to see the selection we currently have in stock.

Baskets

Baskets are useful for leaving on your bike, and means you can be an impulsive shopper. All baskets all have a quick release mechanism so you can easily take the baskets off your bike and into the fruit shop. Grab one of these, and you have another reason to say no to plastic bags!

The wicker baskets are reinforced with steel frames and will survive years of use.  Of course, the steel frames are discreetly tucked into the wicker, so don’t detract from the basket’s rustic appearance.

Pictured here (from left to right)

Basimply II -Rattan look $139 more info

Basil Cento BasSolid $149 more info

Basimply II – Wicker $149 more info

Panniers for Style and Practicality

Made from gel coated polyester,  these beauties will turn heads. Complete with rubber feet, rear reflectors and a discreet pocket for the pannier clips, the Dutch have thought of everything in designing this range.  With their loud prints echoing 1970’s wallpaper, you can have a choice of several colours.  The Blossom Twig double bag is perfect for those trips to the Queen Vic Market on Saturdays. It boasts a 70 litre carrying capacity!

Pictured here (from left to right)

Blossom twig $100 more info

Mirte Shopper black and white, blue and white $115 more info

The Daily Commuter

We’re getting into serious territory here.  The Preston range is built for the everyday commuter. These  panniers are perfect for laptops, shopping, and occasional touring. Made from high grade polyester, the fabric has a foam core sewn in to protect the bag’s contents.  This makes the panniers a little soft and squishy, and so, will stop your books and vegies going the same way.

Pictured here (left to right)

Preston shopper $109 more info

Preston Double bag $159 more info

Heavy Duty/Touring.

If you need a pannier that is going to withstand all weather conditions, daily use and long distance touring, The Forrest Rear Rider is  for you. Its simple construction – one compartment, minimal  seams – means there are less weak points for the bag to fall apart.  The top opening rolls over itself, to ensure that your sleeping bag, scroggin and clothes  will stay bone-dry whatever the weather.  This bag also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap, so can be easily used when you’re doing your nightly shop.

This bag also comes in super cool, Darth Vader-esque black.

Forrest Rear Rider $139 more info

Many of the pannier bag clips that attach to the bike’s pack rack can be tucked away in a pocket. Super nifty,  see how it works here. All bags include reflective paint applied to their rear side – ideal for commuting on those dark winter evenings.

If any of these tickle your fancy, pop down to the Commuter Cycles Workshop and have a look at the features that we’ve left off the website. We also have pack racks for sale here at the workshop, for just about all types of bike setups (suspension, disc brake, etc.).

We’ll be doing it again next year, so be sure to register and keep the morning free. For those who rocked up, thanks for being good sports and showing that cycling to work is a valid transport option.

More photos below….

The LHT, built by Surly, has a solid steel frame with the sort of geometry that allows for relaxed riding. It can be built up for touring – it’s designed to take loaded front and rear pack racks – and full mudguards. It even comes shipped with spare spokes clipped to the frame! Perfect if you break a spoke in a town with a bikeshop that only has minimal supplies.

We’ve just sold one of these workhorses to Casey, who rides from Coburg to Yarraville daily. And as you can see, he needs a bike that doesn’t complain when it’s carrying a full load.

We can also get the Long Haul Trucker frame naked, if you want us to do a complete custom build.

Price: $1700 – with 3 months free servicing
Full Specifications: at Surly’s website
Recommended accessories: Topeak Super Tourist Rack, Axiom Mudguards

Introducing ‘Blinky Superflash!‘. Sounds like a 1970’s cartoon character we hear you say.  But there’s nothing retro about these beauties, they’re state of the art, and they are BRIGHT!

The weather proof design also clips off easliy from the enclosed mount, which includes two ring sizes so you can fix them anywhere. We have extra mounts ($5) so you can securely attach them to packracks and baskets.

Each light set comes with AAA batteries included. The supplier, Planet Bike, donates 25% of their profits to Bicycle Advocacy, which is good for everyone.  We’re right behind folks that go the extra mile and do things like that.

Blinky also has siblings in the range. Little sister Blaze includes a 1/2 watt led that comes with a helmet mount, perfect for the Yarra or Merri creek bike trail, where a moment in the darkness can mean the difference between a ride and a swim.

Blinky Superflash: $35
More Info: Planet Bikes